My diagnosis with Parkinson's Disease in September 2009 at age 80 gave my life a new focus and challenge. Finding ways to meet this challenge helped make 2010 the best year of my life. I hope this blog will be a place where I can connect with others who also are dealing with aging and its afflictions and attractions so that we can share our "experience, strength and hope."

March 18, 2014

More Bad News for Multivitamins

I’ve written periodically about the increasing evidence that
multivitamins waste money, don’t really make a difference, and might even cause
harm.

Now, results of three more studies – published in a recent edition of the
journal Annals of Internal Medicine -- reinforce those conclusions.

No Benefit to Cognitive Health

First, Dr. Francine Grodstein from the Harvard School of Public Health,
with colleagues, examined data from the Physicians Health Study II. Nearly
6,000 male doctors – all 65 or older – took either a Centrum Silver
multivitamin or a placebo every day for twelve years. At intervals, researchers
tested their subjects’ memory and cognitive function.

At the end of this study, researchers concluded: “In male physicians 65
years or older, long-term use of a daily multivitamin did not provide cognitive benefits.”

On the positive side, the data showed that risk of cancer dropped by 8
percent, and cataracts by 9 percent, for the men who took the multivitamin.

The report’s authors also noted that this particular study involved men
only, and men who were generally in good health and well-nourished to begin
with. It might be useful, the report suggested, to conduct the same exercise on
a population not as well fed:

This is of particular interest in an aging
population because older persons are often at risk for nutritional deficiencies
due to reduced micronutrient intake, altered absorption, and the metabolic
requirements of vitamins.

No Benefit Against Recurring
Heart Attacks

In another study, researchers recruited 1,708 people—average age 65 --
who had suffered heart attacks at least six months before (average interval
between heart attack and study commencement was 4.6 years). Participants were
randomly assigned to receive either a high-dose multivitamin and
multimineral mixture, or a placebo.

Like all studies, this one had its flaws. Subject were required to take
lots of pills, and many of the subjects withdrew early from the study or
acknowledged non-compliance with the pill regimen.

Nonetheless, after about four years, there was no significant
difference between the two groups in recurring
heart attacks, chest pain, hospitalization, stroke, or early death.

No Meaningful Benefit Against
Cancer and Heart Disease

The third report reviewed existing data from 27 different studies –
which involved over 450,000 people – on the efficacy of vitamin and mineral
supplements.

Conducted for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, this study
revealed no benefit from supplements against heart disease, minimal benefit
against cancer, and no evidence that supplements delay death from any cause.

Dr. Eliseo Guallar, professor of epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins
School of Public Health, wrote in the summary:

We believe it’s clear that
vitamins are not working…. The probability of a meaningful effect is so small
that it’s not worth doing study after study and spending research dollars on
these questions.

The Industry Reacts

As we might expect, response from the supplement industry to the
editorial in the journal Annals of
Internal Medicine has been swift and sharp. After all, gigantic profits are at stake in the
multi-billion dollar industry.

Wrote Steve Mister, president and CEO of the Council for Responsible
Nutrition – which represents the supplement industry:

The editorial demonstrates a close-minded, one-sided approach that
attempts to dismiss even the proven benefits of vitamins and minerals. It’s a
shame for consumers that the authors refuse to recognize the real-life need for
vitamin and mineral supplementation, living in a fairy-tale world that makes
the inaccurate assumption that we’re all eating healthy diets and getting
everything we need from food alone.

And Still We Buy

Estimates suggest that 42 percent of all Americans used multivitamins
or other dietary supplements between 1988 and 1994. That percent rose to 53
between 2003-2006, and indications suggests the number continues to rise in spite of scientific studies showing no meaningful health benefit.

“It would be great if all dietary problems could be solved with a
pill,” wrote editorial co-author Guallar. “Unfortunately, that’s not the case.”

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Here's the editorial -- titled "Enough Is Enough: Stop Wasting Money on Vitamin and Mineral Supplements" -- from the journal Annals of Internal Medicine. This link also provides details of the three studies mentioned above.

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“John Schappi was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2009, at age 80. We love John’s blog because it’s about living life to the fullest — whether that means traveling, going to the ballet, or celebrating the friendships he’s made through Alcoholics Anonymous. He also talks about what products he uses to deal with the side effects of Parkinson’s, such as insomnia, and shares and discusses helpful blog posts and information.” -- Healthline